On April 16, 2026, University of South Florida doctoral students Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy  both 27, both weeks away from major academic milestones and vanished from Tampa. Limon’s body was found on April 25. His roommate, a non-student with a documented history of battery and domestic violence, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Bristy is presumed dead.
They had complained about him. Nothing was done.
This happened because off-campus student housing in Florida has no legal obligation to restrict tenancy to enrolled students, no requirement to conduct criminal background checks, and no duty to act on safety complaints. Any person regardless of enrollment status or violent criminal history  can be randomly assigned as a college student’s roommate.
Florida already allows 55+ communities to legally restrict residency by age under the Fair Housing Act. There is no reason student housing cannot do the same by enrollment status. “Student” is not a protected class — this is not a civil rights issue. It is a public safety issue.
We are asking the Florida Legislature to pass the Florida Student Housing Safety Act: create a student-only housing exemption modeled on the 55+ exemption, mandate criminal background checks with automatic disqualification for violent offenders, and establish legal liability for property managers who ignore safety complaints.
Student housing should be for students. Background checks should be required. Complaints must be heard.
Sign this petition for Zamil and Nahida.